


At what point did caring about her safety become stalking?

by ChaosMelly



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Denial, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Jealousy, Original Character(s), Romance, Slow Build, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-04
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-07 10:55:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1119031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaosMelly/pseuds/ChaosMelly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felicity takes a night off to meet up with a friend.<br/>Oliver saw the text messages and wants to make sure she's safe, well that's what he tells himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> **RATING CHANGED to Mature for chapter 5.**
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> **This was originally going to be all Olivers POV but this is my first time writing and i'm just not that good, so some Felicity POV too to help move the plot along.**  
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> ****I hope you enjoy and any comments would be awesome, I need all the feedback I can get being such a writing newb!****
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> ****The mid season break is killing me, thats how this happened.****

**Fallen**

 

The sound of feverish typing seemed to have paused, Oliver wondered; if he looked up, would he find her looking at him while he trained? He always liked the embarrassment that washed over her face as she quickly looked away and started rambling at him whenever she thought she'd been caught. But since he'd yelled at her about letting Barry in on their secret she'd seemed to spend less time looking at him from behind her bank of computers while he worked out, he knew she wasn't necessarily angry at him about it anymore but she did seem to be a little different since Barry's visit. He decided not to look up, he'd rather not know.

“I’m just running up stairs, I need to grab a bottle of water from the bar, back in a minute!” Oliver paused in his pounding of the punch bag and glanced over at her raising an eyebrow.

“You sticking around much longer? There's not much going on tonight, you could take the rest of the evening off you know…”

“It's ok, I've been working on a new way to have our system monitor the city's CCTV using a programme that can identify violence and I think I'm near a turning point in my programming so to be honest that's really more exciting than anything I have sitting on my dvr at home right now!”

She was obviously excited by this considering the speed with which she rushed up the stairs, it always made him happy to see her so enthusiastic over the work she did for Team Arrow, at least she could get some work satisfaction here, it took the edge off the guilt he still felt for pulling her into the world of Executive Assistants and away from her beloved desk down in the IT department. He knew she understood his reasoning for giving her the position, they all needed to maintain a cover and it meant them being seen together made perfect sense. What he didn't tell her was how much more balanced having her just outside his office made him feel, he could keep her safe.

_Bzzzz bzzzz_

The sound of Felicity's phone receiving a text pulled him out of his reverie, he started walking over towards her desk, it was probably Diggle sending an eta, after all, he should be here by now. It didn't even occur to him that he could be invading her privacy.

Freddy: Hey Lis! I'm in town for a couple of days, drinks tonight?

Oliver was frowning down at the message from the unfamiliar name on her screen when it vibrated again.

Freddy: Ur legal now right!? ;)

His frown deepened, then heard the muffled bleeping of the the pin being entered into the door at the top of the stairs leading up to the bar.

Felicity's heels were clicking across the concrete floor of the lair as he reached the bottom of the Salmon ladder deciding it was as good a time as any for a set.

Half way up he heard a little noise of delight uttered from behind the computers, glancing down after the next rung on the ladder her saw her quick firing texts with a poorly restrained grin on her face.

“Oliver?”

Having reached the top in no time at all Oliver looked down at her, hanging from one arm, the light of the computer screen bathing her upturned face really did make her look lovely from this angle, not that she didn't normally he mused.

“Hmm?” He managed to grunt before dropping to the floor.

Standing from her computer chair she was gathering her coat and bag as she looked over at him.

“I’ve decided I could really do with taking an evening to decompress, ...not that being here aaaah ...compresses me” she grimaced at herself, “I just think a little r’n’r would actually be good, I can jump right back on this tomorrow or Monday” she waved at her screens to indicate the programme she'd been fully engrossed in not five minutes before. “You'll be ok right? Diggle should be here soon anyway.” She looked at him suddenly uncertain, pushing her glasses up, a nervous tell he’d become fond of.

“I’ll be fine Felicity, I'm sure I can manage to be by myself until Diggle gets here” he smiled at her gently in an attempt to alleviate her doubts, he honestly wondered sometimes how she thought he'd coped before she and Diggle became constants in his life.

“You're sure?” She looked him in the eyes stepping closer, not totally convinced, he obviously need to work on that smile.

“Felicity, go.” he pointed at the stairs using his stern/determined face, hoping he had more practice with that one, “have a nice evening”.

That seemed to have been what she was looking for because she visibly relaxed, the smile from earlier taking over her face again as she walked away, “I’m sure I will, promise to call me if anything comes up!?”

Turning back she levelled her gaze at him, he considered asking what had made her change her mind about staying, who Freddy was, but he decided he wanted that smile to stay on her face as long as possible, he didn't see it often enough.

“Promise”

With that she spun on her heels, pony tail flying out, “Great! See you tomorrow.”

Watching her depart he saw her almost collide with Diggle at the top of the stairs, she reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek as she greeted him and said goodbye in one breath hardly breaking her stride as she rushed out to her car. Oliver stalked over to the bank of computers switching one to the CCTV feed in the parking lot, he just wanted to make sure she made it to her car safely. Diggle arrived beside him and he could tell his frown was back as Diggle looked at the computer screen then raised an eyebrow at Oliver.

“I’m going to suit up and do a patrol.”

“I thought you were taking the night off, we were going to do some sparring to work on your left?”

“Changed my mind” Oliver shot over his shoulder as he walked towards the case containing his alter ego.

“I guess I'll just man the lair then…” he heard Diggle mutter under his breath, clearly disgruntled.

***************

Jumping another roof gap Oliver found himself looking down across the street to the door of Felicity's apartment block. He'd tried telling himself that he'd ended up here because it made the most sense to head in this direction for the beginning of his patrol, but he felt that was a step to far in self delusion even for him and had decided he was just checking on her, making sure she'd made it home ok. He kind of wanted to get eyes on this Freddy too, his traitorous brain hadn't stopped running over the messages since he'd seen them.

Legal?! What did that imply, _really_?

A car (looked like a rental) pulled up outside the building, a tall dark haired guy stepped out of the drivers side a second later, Oliver watched as the guy pulled his phone out of a pocket and raised it to make a call. Glancing up at her window (so this wasn't the first time he'd checked up on her, for her own safety) he watched as a her face appeared and looked down at the street, she waved quickly but her visitor didn't seem to have noticed, maybe he didn't known which window was hers, that idea irrationally pleased Oliver.

A couple of minutes passed before he saw Felicity come rushing down the steps, rental car guy(must be ‘Freddy’) stepped forward to meet her as she barrelled into his arms, she threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her of the ground and spun her around, both laughing as she grinned at him and peppered his face with little kisses. Oliver's fists clenched unconsciously and he began to feel like he was intruding on her privacy, she obviously knew this person well and was definitely happy to see him, he couldn't really claim to be looking out for her safety any longer. As he stood to leave he saw Felicity take a step back, she'd stopped smiling and now seemed to be annoyed at rental guy as she berated(Oliver suddenly wished he'd found a closer vantage point so he could hear her) him and hit him on the chest, the object of her annoyance raised his hands in a placating gesture and said something back to calm her whilst stepping in to give her another, if more sedate, hug.

When she stepped back this time she was smiling again, Oliver noticed she was wearing a figure hugging black and pink dress, not one he'd seen before, he wonder what kind of occasion that dress would be worn for, not formal or restricting, he began to suspect dancing would be involved.

A taxi pulled up and they both climbed into the back, Felicity pulling rental guy (some how he couldn't bring him self to think of him as 'Freddy') by the hand, she seemed to be secure in their relationship anyway.

For fear of heading too far into the realm of stalker Oliver forced himself to turn in the opposite direction to the one the taxi headed in, time to find some thugs to deal with, his string finger was itching.

 

************************************

 

Four blocks in to his patrol his wishes were answered. Below, just inside the entrance to what used to be a busy park in the now devastated landscape of the Glades, Oliver could see a girl being flanked by two guys as she headed further into the dark park. Quickly assessing the layout of both the streets and the park Oliver grabbed a grappling arrow from the quiver on his back, firing at the next building whilst taking a running jump, he was on the ground in seconds.

Taking the trees as cover he was in the park and heading in the direction he'd seen the three figures disappear when he heard a startled shriek from up ahead. Putting on a burst of speed Oliver rounded a particularly large tree to see one of the men going through the girls bag whilst the other was gripping her around the waist as he tried to kiss her, she pulled her head back and head-butted him soundly on the nose, angry, and now in pain the second guy threw her to the ground drawing back his leg to deliver a kick.

“I really wouldn't do that” Oliver intoned through the vocal modifier, he knew the voice was intimidating but he was pretty sure his reputation also had something to do with the speed at which the guy holding the bag turned and ran.

Unfortunately the one with blood pouring from his nose wasn't quite so easily cowed, adrenalin could be a great stupidity enhancer. He reached behind his back in a move Oliver was all too familiar with as he stepped forward, having a gun helps bravado too apparently.

Oliver lowered his bow, cursing his recent decision to be a better man and ‘find another way’. Looking over at the girl as she picked herself up of the ground “Run” he ordered her.

 

*****************  
**********************

 

Felicity couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun, really, truly, just relaxed. True she had felt a little guilty leaving Oliver alone at the lair after saying she would be staying to work into the night but then Diggle had been there as she left so it really wasn't like Oliver was going to be alone, she was pretty sure actually that Diggle had talked about plans to improve Oliver's ability to fight leading with his left, what ever that's about. He'd be fine.

And she was just so happy to see Freddy, it felt so good to get that bear hug she knew so well and they had so easily fallen back into that natural closeness she was afraid they would have lost after so long, and after...everything.

If she'd maybe checked her phone half a dozen times since getting in a taxi with Freddy then that was because she wanted to make sure she wasn't needed at the lair in the event something Arrow-y had happened.

Freddy had just stepped outside to take a phone call so Felicity had taken the opportunity to tear herself away from the dance floor of the club they had ended up at in order to grab them some drinks from the bar. Squeezing her way through the crowd to the bar it didn't take her long to get the attention of a cute bartender and she yelled (using her loud voice to the fullest) over the thump thump of the bass to order another beer for Freddy and the greenest looking cocktail the bar served. At the bar level there was a window to the left that looked out to the street, she could see some girls walking past laughing and Freddy's back with the phone held to his ear from her vantage point as the cute guy behind the bar mixed her cocktail. Glancing up at the buildings on the far side of the street hoping for a glimpse of the moon, her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly saw a familiar silhouette. Flashing her best smile at the bartender she motioned that she would be back for the drinks in a moment.

 

***************  
********************

 

Oliver knew he'd almost crossed a line with that scumbag, there was blood on his knuckles but at least the only arrow he'd loosed had served purely to pin the guy to that tree by his hand, he was sure he'd live, well...pretty sure. He thought calling Detective...sorry, Officer Lance with the location was more than the creep deserved to be honest but he knew it was the right thing to do.

He felt pumped up and exhausted at the same time, it was a feeling he'd become familiar with over the past six or seven years, but it still left him unbalanced, he hated feeling unbalanced. He wasn't in the right frame of mind for patrolling anymore tonight, he wasn't sure why and he didn't really want to think about it. He should head back to Verdant, Diggle was probably wondering why he wasn't answering the comms by now, or his phone for that matter. Before he headed back though he wanted to make sure Felicity's night was going more smoothly.

Oliver pulled out his phone and quickly logged into the GPS tracker Felicity had set up on all of their phones when he'd got back from the Island a second time, so they would all be able to know where the other two were instantly in the event of a problem she had assured him, he was quietly convinced it had more to do with her peace of mind about him running off again however.

But he hadn't complained, it had its uses.

 

*************

 

Twenty minutes later he was looking at the front of a popular club on the other side of town. Why hadn't she gone to Verdant if she wanted to dance? Maybe she didn't want him running into Freddy(still rental guy).

Speak of the devil, Freddy came walking out of the club bringing his phone up to his ear. If he were being objective Oliver would have to admit that Freddy was a good looking guy even from this distance, he was tall and well built, his dark hair was close cropped and his face clean shaven. He had an open demeanour, held himself with a kind of poise and confidence and his face carried an easy smile, he could see why Felicity liked him. That didn't mean he had to like him though.

He was pondering on how he would be able to get a chance to see her so he could head back to Verdant with peace of mind when a group of giggling girls up the street drew his attention.

Apparently they hadn't escaped Freddy's attention either, he watched him turn to face the girls as they walked towards the club, he hung up the phone as they passed, said something that Oliver couldn't hear that stopped the girls and had their giggling directed at him, he was obviously flirting with them now, if there's one thing Oliver hadn't forgotten during his time on the Island it was that body language, he was all too familiar with it, though it was always him making those moves back then.

Oliver wondered what Felicity would think of her date now if she could see him.

Date.

He realised he was thinking of this as a date, that stopped him short and he became instantly aware that his right hand had drifted up towards the fletchings poking over his shoulder.

He really needed to get back to Verdant.

 

**************  
******************

 

Felicity smiled at the group of girls entering the club as she stepped out onto the street. She glanced up at the building opposite and scanned the rest of the horizon with a puzzled look.

“You ok 'Lis?”

“Hmmm?”

“Hey, what you looking for.” He asked touching her arm and dragging her attention away from the skyline.

“Oh, nothing, I just remembered reading something about a full moon tonight and thought I'd try and see it.” She glanced up at him trying for a natural smile in the hope he wouldn't press it. She must be seeing things.

“Oh, cool” he looked up at the sky “nah, too much cloud” he looked down at her hands, “hey where's those drinks you promised me? I thought you said you were gonna treat me right if I came to visit!?” His playful tone made her smile.

“Hey, you turned up unannounced, that wasn't part of the deal, you can't expect too much of a girl after two years!” But she was laughing and pulling him by the hand back to the bar, “Don't worry, I may have developed abandonment issues but I still love you Freddy, drinks are waiting for us inside”.

She waved down the cute bartender as soon as they reached the bar, he winked at her and handed over her order, she mouthed thanks as she handed him the note and refused the change he offered.

Turning to pass Freddy his beer her phone started vibrating in her pocket, pulling it out she saw Diggles caller ID flashing up on the screen, she motioned at Freddy to head back to the dance floor and told him she'd just be a minute, she hope she would anyway. Stepping back to the door she accepted the call.

“Hey Digg', every thing ok?”

“Yeah, fine don't worry there's no nefarious deeds for us to foil you can relax, I just wanted to speak to Oliver.”

“Oh, I see, you don't love me for me, just what I can do for you” she teased, maybe she was getting a little drunk.

She heard Diggle chuckle over the phone, “you know I love you for all that you are Felicity, I just wanted to check in with Oliver that's all and he's not answering his phone”

She frowned at that, “I though you guys had a sweaty training evening planned? Sorry he's not here Digg, should I be worried?”

Diggle seemed to pause, this wasn't making her feel any better. “No, no” he said suddenly “no need to worry, my mistake, he popped out for a quick sweep of the glades, he's probably heading back now and is just too busy jumping from building to building to listen to me pestering him”

“Ok, but Digg'?, you call me if you don't hear from him in the next half hour, yeah?”

“Yeah of course, you enjoy your night, ok?”

Feeling a little better Felicity hung up and headed back into the club to find Freddy and enjoy the rest of her night off like Diggle had suggested, secure in the knowledge he would let her know if Oliver didn't reappear soon.


	2. Tiptoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver needs to reassess some things and comes to a realisation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **As promised, Chapter 2, proof read and awaiting your viewing pleasure. Please let me know if i've missed any typos so I can fix it!**
> 
> **Comments are love!**

**Tiptoe**

 

Oliver entered the lair from the secure back entrance that Felicity and Diggle had installed during his last trip to the Island, he was still wound tight but at least he was back and unlikely to do anymore damage.

 

Diggle had turned away from the computers to look at him, Oliver knew that look, he was in for a lecture.

 

“I’m really not in the mood Diggle”

 

“When did that ever stop me? You're never in the mood Oliver.”

 

Oliver glowered at him as he pulled down the hood and removed his new mask but stayed silent, might as well let Diggle get it out of his system.

 

“What's wrong with you at the moment man? I mean, aside from the usual!?” Diggle stood and walked towards him.

 

Oliver let out an exasperated sigh, maybe he couldn't deal with this right now. “I don't know what you mean Digg’.”

 

“Yeah? So you bail on our plans for training after Felicity decides to spend the night out instead of cooped up here with us, I hear over the police scanner you've hospitalised a guy, I'm pretty sure he's in intensive care by the way so I hope his crimes justified it.” Oliver winced at that, glancing down as he began peeling of his still bloody gloves. “Then I can't reach you on the comms or your phone, when I check your location on the GPS you seem to be with Felicity but when I call her she hasn't seen you. Now she may be better at lying than you but she's not that good, care to fill me in Oliver?”

 

Oliver did his best to explain having accidentally read the messages Felicity had received and how he just wanted to make sure everything was ok before finishing his patrol, but he really wasn't in the best mood and hated explaining himself at the best of times, so from the look on Diggle’s face it hadn't gone over too well.

 

“Look Oliver, I'm not going to lecture you on how to behave…” Oliver let out an involuntary incredulous huff, that made Diggle pause and raise a stern eyebrow at him “…but you can't have it both ways, I've tried to stay out of it, but you can't force Felicity away on the one hand and then get wound tight when she's around other people, you did the same with that poor kid Barry! She's a beautiful girl and she's going to have people in her life like that, you can't make her be a nun just because you're all wrapped up in your self.”

 

Diggle clearly didn't understand Oliver thought as his fists clenched against his legs. “I just want to keep her safe, that's all, I said I would protect her when she joined our mission and that's all I want to do.”

 

“Yeah, Oliver” Diggle's look was truly exasperated now “you just keep telling yourself that man, maybe one day it'll become the truth and you'll be able to let her date like a normal girl.” He turned to start shutting down the programmes that didn't need to keep running in their absence.

 

Date, there was that word again, she hadn't said as much, but maybe it was a date, he thought about it for a minute as he finished getting changed, he tried to be ok with it, he really wasn't. Maybe Diggle was right.

 

“Hey” the fire seemed to have gone out of Diggle’s tone now, he almost sounded gentle, Oliver turned towards him “You want me to drive you home? I am your black driver after all.”

 

A smile pulled at Oliver's lips, he really was lucky to have both of them in his life. He wasn't ready to go home just yet though. “Thanks Digg’ but there a few more things I need to do before I go home tonight, you go though, go see Lyla, I'll get myself home.”

 

Diggle nodded and headed for the stairs.

 

“Diggle…” Oliver called out before he got to the top of the stairs, his friend turned to look down at him, “Thank you” Diggle smiled and shook his head pushing open the door.

 

*************

 

Oliver had decided to take the motorbike home, but not before he checked to make sure Felicity made it home ok, if he was going to start being honest with himself about his feeling he might as well give in to his need to check on her. This thought had made him reevaluate what he'd said to her after getting back from Russia when she'd called him out on his indiscretion with Ms Rochev. How could he expect to keep her safe if he pushed her away, wasn't she safer close by wher he could keep an eye on her?

 

He'd been parked in an alley across the street sitting on his bike for about 15 minutes when a taxi pulled up in front of her building once again. It was half past 1 in the morning and he'd started to think maybe she wouldn't be coming home, but the unconscious sigh of relief hadn't even passed his lips when he saw that same dark handsome man he had recently decided he hated pulling his girl Wednesday out of the back of the cab.

 

Felicity was clearly beyond drunk, she laughed and pointed up at her window in a commanding gesture before seeming to fall asleep where she stood, supported by Freddy as the Taxi pulled away. Oliver had to squeeze the handle bars of his bike in a death grip to stop him rushing over to take over from this (in his mind)practical stranger, but he knew she wouldn't appreciate it in the morning.

 

Oliver's jaw practically hit the floor at what happened next. Freddy turned Felicity in a clearly practiced move, picked her up and draped her across his shoulder, she hiccuped and giggled sleepily against his back as he strode confidently into her building.

 

Oliver had seen enough, she was plainly happy with the position she found herself in and he really wasn't needed or wanted here.

 

Starting up the bike's engine with an angry kick he sped back to Queen mansion with a head full of dark thoughts.

 

****************

 

Oliver woke with a start, his phone must have gone off, groaning he reached up to rub his face, scratching at his ever present stubble before reaching over to the bedside table to retrieve his phone. Glancing at the time it was 10am, he'd only managed to get to sleep about three hours ago. He'd spent most of the night and morning pacing the halls of the mansion, no one to distract him as his mother was fast asleep and Thea had probably gone to Roy's after finishing up at Verdant.

 

The message was from Felicity, he steeled himself before opening it, he really needed to get a handle on these feelings, he was glad his brain had graciously managed to keep her face out of his dreams last night, which was rare these last few months. At first the dreams had been nightmares, not getting to her in time, sometimes it was the Count and sometimes it was Helena threatening her but sometimes he couldn't even identify the threat, just a darkness looming over her, her terrified face calling out to him as she was swept out of his reach, he could never hear what she was shouting, just the screams as she was brutally torn from his grasp. He would wake sweating with a cold vice gripping his heart, his hands gripping the sheets.

 

Over time though there was a shift, sometimes he saved her, sometimes he got there in time, he got to hold her in his arms. Then he would wake sweating for entirely different reasons. He wasn't sure which torture was worse.

 

Taking a deep breath he opened the message.

 

Felicity: I'm not going to make it into the lair today, feel pretty terrible. But let me kno if u need me. x

 

He had thought it would be something like that, so at least no surprises. He briefly wondered if he could come up with an excuse for needing her, but seeing how drunk she was last night he didn't think he really had the heart. He was sure hungover Felicity would be a grumpy Felicity, a small smile played on his lips as he thought he'd quite like to experience that. The smile quickly returned to a frown though as he actually considered his reply, maybe rental guy Freddy would be gone, maybe she would want him to take her comfort food or pain killers? That way he could check on her properly, she might even be unhappy if things hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped, maybe she'd want a shoulder? He knew that he might not actually be the best company in that event, but really, right now, he'd take what he could get.

 

Oliver: Thats ok. Can I get you anything? I can always swing by. Diggles busy this afternoon so I'm free!

 

He hit send and stared at the screen, he waited, but nothing. After ten minutes of staring at his phone he made himself climb out of bed despite his lack of sleep, no way he was getting anymore sleep now so he might as well shower while he waited for her reply. She was probably showering too actually, that's probably why she hadn't responded yet.

 

A shower always makes the day look better Oliver thought as he scrubbed at his hair with the towel, wandering over to his closet he pulled some casual clothes out and threw them on the bed, pulling on a pair of clean boxers he wandered over to his phone to see what Felicity had said.

 

Still no reply. Huh, that wasn't like her, technology was pretty much an extension of Felicity's being. The worried feeling from last night that he'd been suppressing quite well so far this morning started to nibble at the edges of his brain.

 

Shaking his head to try and clear the encroaching dark cloud that had followed him home last night, he finished dressing and pocketed the phone. Might as well head down to the kitchen and see what Raisa could throw together for his breakfast, she could always make the barest ingredients into the most delicious dishes in no time and she could always make him smile.

 

************

 

Breakfast had been delicious, hot maple pancakes had appeared in front of him seemingly out of thin air within minutes of sitting at the table and greeting Raisa with the best smile he could muster.

 

But his stomach felt like it was tying the food in knots and a hollowness persisted. He'd not heard from her still, it was gone 11 now and he honestly didn't know what to do with himself, he'd given Diggle the day off, he hadn't made any plans himself deciding earlier in the week he would try to do what normal people did on a Saturday, though he wasn't really sure what that was, he'd just assumed something would come up. Now nothing appealed to him, he was at a lose end and with nothing to focus on his traitorous brain was running through scenarios of what could be keeping Felicity from replying to him. 

 

His mother had gone out early that morning according to Raisa and he could now hear the returning car pulling up outside the double doors at the front of the sprawling building. Quickly realising he was in no mood for idle talk with anyone, even his mother, he grabbed his coat and was out the doors in seconds, running up to his mother he gave her a swift kiss on the cheek and made his excuses before rounding the side of the building to jump into his personal car, he wanted to be behind the wheel himself today.

 

***************

 

It was nearly 1pm by the time he pulled up in front of Felicity's building, he still hadn't had a reply but he was feeling better, the anxiousness and conflicted emotions of the morning and night before weren't gone but he felt more in control now, he'd busied himself visiting the shops to buy anything he thought might make her feel better. The bulging bag on the passenger seat contained painkillers,vitamins, orange juice, bacon stuffed bagels, and fresh coffee grounds. He was feeling pretty pleased with himself actually and having noted the absence of the rental car as he'd pulled up he was pretty confident he'd get to pamper her until she was feeling better and then maybe he'd manage to tell her something of what he had been feeling recently. 

He could still clearly remember the hurt in her voice months ago when she'd asked him 'why her?' following their return from Russia, he really had believed in the reasoning he'd given her at the time, it had already been hard before that but he hadn't bargained for how much more difficult trying to keep their relationship platonic was going to become. 

 

Taking a deep breath as he stood in front of her door he knocked firmly. It was taking a while but he could hear her moving around inside so he waited as patiently as he could.

 

A couple of minutes later he heard the deadbolt slide across and an extremely groggy looking Felicity peered up at him from the crack in the door as she pulled it open.

 

She was squinting against the light in the hallway, behind her the apartment was dark, lights were off and the curtains were drawn, Oliver ushered her back inside as she attempted to smile at him. At least she seemed happy to see him, that was something.

 

Closing the door behind him he glanced round the dark apartment, fortunately spending his nights as the vigilante meant his night vision was great. It was messy, with Felicity's dress and shoes from last night in a pile next to the bathroom door and a collection of blankets and cushions strewn over the couch, Oliver tried to keep his expression pleasant, at least rental car Freddy was definitely long gone. He actually found himself smiling when she stumbled over to the couch and re-enveloped herself in the collection of blankets he'd just been wondering about the history of, she'd been snuggled in a nest of them, sleeping, when he'd knocked.

 

He gave her his best charming smile holding up the bag for her to see he came bearing gifts, she peered at him slightly glassy eyed from her curled up position but she seemed to have found her voice. “Hey, what you doin' here Oliver?”

 

He wandered over to her coffee maker and started measuring out some fresh grounds. “I didn't get a reply to my message, so I thought I'd pop round to see if I could help...you know since I have no QC obligations today, and I was a little worried, you're the fastest thumb in Starling city normally” he turned back towards her with a raised eyebrow and a smile as the coffee started to percolate behind him, filling the apartment with its rich aroma.

 

She looked a little perplexed at that, but reaching under the mounds of blankets she soon located her phone and peered at the screen, he thought she looked adorable squinting at the brightness without her glasses on. “Oh, sorry, I must have fallen straight asleep after I sent you that first text” She grimaced a little as the pain in her head obviously made it's self known “had a long night.”

 

Oliver bit back his questions and clenched his jaw, he walked over and perched on the far end of the sofa, “well don't you worry” he said gently, 'I have everything you could possibly need to help you face what remains of the weekend!” Felicity just groaned pulling the blankets closer and burrowing deeper into the sofa, her feet pressing up against Oliver's leg. Oliver put a hand on her foot and squeezed, “you ok?” he asked his face flashing concern at the thought this might be more than just a colossal hangover. “Yeah, I'm fine, just given myself alcohol poisoning I think” she smiled ruefully up at him. He got up and quickly fetched a bottle of water from her fridge and popped a couple of painkillers into her hand. She gratefully accepted them, gulping down the cold water with the pills. 

 

Oliver walk back into the kitchen to start pouring coffee, a warm feeling started to curl in the bottom of his stomach as the knots from this morning began to unwind, he was enjoying this opportunity to take care of Felicity when her life wasn't actually in danger.

 

She was sitting up a little more when he turned to carry the steaming mugs to the sofa. She reached up eagerly to wrap her hands round the proffered magical beverage. She held it under her nose and inhaled the steam deeply. Oliver knew he was staring at her, drinking in the sight of her, even disheveled and feeling sorry for herself, her hair a tangled blond mess, she was beautiful, he wasn't going to try telling himself these thought should be pushed aside anymore so he might as well indulge in them.

 

He noticed she was looking right back at him, her eyes were clearer now but her expression was inscrutable. He cleared his throat, not sure why he felt nervous all of a sudden, “good coffee?” She nodded from behind her mug, “feeling better?”

 

“Mmm, better” she stated, “not human yet, but better... thank you” she was still looking at him with that curious expression that he just couldn't read. “Well, I have bacon filled bagels too!” he exclaimed a little too enthusiastically, getting up to to tear himself away from that look. 

 

“Wait…” Felicity called after him, he turned to face her, “I’d like to get a shower and try to freshen up before I face eating anything”.

 

“Oh, yeah, ok, of course. I'll just get them ready for when you're done” He heard the unsure tone in his own voice but couldn't help it.

 

She extricated herself from the sofa and shuffled past him towards the bathroom, still grasping her mug in both hands. She looked too cute and he was filled with an undeniable desire to touch her. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder before she passed and was rewarded with a little smile.

 

**************

********************

 

When the knocking on her door pulled her out of her dreams she really didn't want to face the world yet. She'd been up once this morning already, seeing Freddy off was enough activity for today she'd told herself when she grabbed the blankets and wrapped herself up on the sofa, wishing she had some painkillers was the last thing she remembered thinking before that knock rudely woke her.

 

Finding Oliver stood on the other side of her door, threw her out for a moment, normally she knew it would have elicited different feeling but right now confused was all she could muster as he crowded her back into the safe darkness of her apartment. She headed straight back to her nest on the sofa determined to wait out what ever Oliver's appearance meant in as much comfort as was currently possible.

 

It seemed he had answered her unspoken prayers when he told her he'd come to check on her when she hadn't replied to his message and had brought with him what she wanted most in this world right now!

 

The smell of coffee was divine and the water and painkillers just what the doctor ordered. Her head had started to clear and her thought process was starting to engage with the activity around her as he brought her a big mug of coffee. She had just began to consider how dreadful she must look compared to the fresh always handsome Oliver that was now sat sipping coffee at the other end of her sofa. Coffee and painkillers, that was pretty hangover specific... She knew she hadn't said where she was going last night and she hadn't mentioned why she felt terrible in the message she'd sent him earlier. Maybe she was just looking at it too closely, it could be a coincidence or a lucky guess on his part.

 

He was staring at her, she wondered if she had even washed her makeup off last night, but to tell the truth his eyes didn't seem to be particularly judging her, she couldn't be sure without her glasses on but he almost seemed to be, just… considering her, storing the image of her? Maybe her disheveled state amused him, it felt like there were a lot of maybes in this situation.

 

“…I have bacon filled bagels too!” He practically jumped out of the sofa to head back to the kitchen.

 

Bacon bagels too? Not chicken soup, or ice cream?

 

“Wait…” She called out to him, telling him she wanted to shower first she got up, cursing the throbbing in her temples at the movement. She shuffled past him still cradling her mug, his hand practically shot out taking her a little by surprise and squeezing her shoulder. His touch always did have such an affect on her, a tingle shot through her chest and her heart jumped at the warmth of his hand.

 

She couldn't let him have this kind of hold over her anymore, he'd made his thoughts on a relationship 'with someone he could really care about' abundantly clear and she was trying really hard to move on. Damn him and his hands. She managed a small smile as she reached the bathroom.

 

The hot water and steam felt truly amazing. She stood there under the hot jets feeling the grogginess of her late night and far too much alcohol wash away. As she started to feel like herself once more she considered again her thoughts on the contents of Oliver's shopping bag. Coffee, painkillers and bacon bagels, no matter how you looked at, that was a hangover cure if ever she'd seen one. She was the proof, she was already feeling ten times better than when he'd first turned up and her stomach had just begun to growl at the thought of those bagels. But how could he possibly know what to bring? Suddenly her brain flashed an image of an arrow silhouette seen from inside a bar to the forefront of her mind. And with that memory quickly came the recollection of the odd phone call from Diggle shortly after.

 

Could Oliver have been following her last night?! Why he would do that was beyond her. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel suddenly determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

 

Wrapped in a fluffy towel with her wet hair hanging around her shoulders dripping onto the carpet she stepped out of the bathroom. 

 

He looked at her like he was about to say something but she got there first.

 

“Why were you following me last night Oliver?!” Well that came out blunter and angrier than she'd intended, and she'd been worried she was going to ramble!


	3. Bleeding Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So it's time for a conversation I think!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **If your wondering, all the chapter titles are Imagine Dragons song titles.**
> 
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> 
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> 
> **Enjoy, and once again, I love comments! ******

Oliver took the opportunity of her taking a shower to order his thoughts, he really wanted to explain to her how she made him feel, how he'd come to the realisation he couldn't stop those feeling, and ignoring them was driving him mad.  
He wanted to hold her so badly his hands itched when she was close and his heart ached when she was out of his sight.  
He didn't know who Freddy was or what he meant to her but he tried to ignore the pangs he now easily acknowledged as jealousy, after all it was Freddy that had made him face his feelings and it wasn't as if he himself hadn't seen other people during the time he'd known Felicity, it was him that had tried to push her away all this time, telling himself it kept her safe.

He heard the water in the shower stop and poured fresh coffee, placing the mugs next to the bagels he'd set out at her little kitchen table he turned at the sound of the door opening. Felicity stepped out, her slight frame wrapped in a massive fluffy fuchsia towel her wet hair tumbling over her shoulders and dripping little glistening rivulets over her collarbones and down her chest to disappear beneath the edge of the towel. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her, but quickly attempted to gather the thoughts he'd spent the last fifteen minutes ordering. He opened his mouth to ask her to join him at the table.

“Why were you following me last night Oliver?!”

The invitation died in his throat and his mouth opened a little in shock before his jaw clamped down at her words. His mind had gone blank for a moment and he couldn't quite work out what he was supposed to say next. Felicity stood in front of him, hands at her side but fist bunched in her towel, eyebrows raised expectantly. Her tone had been clipped but her expression wasn't so simple, confusion seemed to reign supreme.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…” She seemed a little uncertain how to justify her question, “I noticed that everything you brought over this morning was tailored towards a hangover, which, don't get me wrong I am eternally grateful for, but I never gave you any indication I would be or was, hungover” she was narrowing her eyes and glanced down to the floor as she brought the bits of her argument together “and then I remembered thinking I saw you up on the rooftops last night, and, I've been known to imagine things but then I got a call from Diggle as if he expected you to be right there, I didn't think anything of it at the time since it isn't unknown for us to spend our nights together” he suppressed a little smile at the sudden frustration on her face despite the end game of her current ramble, “but then I remember Diggle would have checked your gps location first…”

She was looking at him now with something in her eyes that he couldn't place but he wanted to ease so desperately he found himself moving forwards, stood directly in front of her, so close he had to look down to meet her eyes, eyes that were now wide and anxious, her breath was shallow and he could hear little puffs escaping her lips.

“Oliver…?”

“I..” He didn't want to lie to her.

Her eyebrows raised even further.

“I saw your texts back at the lair…”

The raised eyebrows quickly formed into a frown and her head tilted to the side as he could see her mind racing over the information he had just provided. He rushed to try and make her understand.

“I just, I didn't know this...Freddy guy, and I wanted to make sure you were ok, I wanted to make sure Felicity, that's all”

She stepped back from him, and even though they hadn't been touching he felt her absence like a coldness spreading over his skin and enveloping his heart.

“And you didn't think to just ask me?” She was staring straight at him again, tone exasperated, “of course you didn't, because for you, all strong n silent and tortured, etc, etc, asking your friends simple questions is just waaaaay too difficult! I thought we were past that Oliver!?”

He couldn't help the wince as the pain of her word washed over his features, he really was trying, with both her and Diggle, but her words brought home just how far he still had to go.

“Oliver, I'm sorry, I didn't really mean…” She was stepping back towards him, hand reaching for his face.

“No, no, you're right” his hand came up to capture hers “I really screwed up last night Felicity, not just last night really, I've been so wrapped up in everything that's been going on I've just lost sight of so much else” he took a deep breath, honesty was the best policy, especially with Felicity, he owed her that and a hundred times more.

Oliver reached out for her other hand, holding them both tightly as he began to speak. “I couldn't relax after I saw those massages and you left so suddenly, so, I told Diggle I was going patrolling and...I headed to your building” he realised he was looking everywhere but at her, so he dragged his eyes back to hers, and what he saw there made him pause, he'd expected more anger or at least confrontation but instead her gaze was soft and encouraging, his heart jumped in his chest and he gained the confidence to forge on. 

“I saw how happy you were to see this guy, so I told myself you were fine, you didn't need me looking out for you” her hands squeezed his a little tighter, “I headed out to try and patrol, and I came across a girl at the park between your apartment and the central glades being tailed by trouble. I wasn't in the best place and one of the guys didn't come out of the meeting so well” she gasped at that and Oliver stepped in even closer, his chest was almost pressed up against her, he moved his hands up her arms to squeeze her shoulders, “don't worry, I didn't...arrow him in a fatal way, he's just going to be well acquainted with Starling city general for the next couple of weeks'. He attempted a weak smile. 

“I knew I shouldn't be out there after that, but I couldn't head back to Verdant until I'd seen that you were still ok with rental g.., ahhhh, Freddy. So I found you on the gps, which must be when you saw me and I watched him flirting with those girls outside the club while you were waiting for him, and I knew if I didn't leave I couldn't guarantee I'd behave.”

Oliver felt Felicity's hands move up and bunch up his T-shirt in her fists, she was so close his face was only inches above hers and he could smell her apple shampoo so intensely he felt an overwhelming impulse to bury his nose in her wet locks and just breath her in. Clearing his throat he pulled himself back from the brink and continued his confession. 

“I got myself back to Verdant without getting in anymore trouble but my mind just wouldn't rest, I didn't know this guy” he really hoped she could see how scared that concept made him considering their nightly occupation, he might have accepted that what he'd just said wasn't his only motivation but that didn't mean he was fully capable of voicing it, he was relying on his eyes at this point.

 

***********  
***************

 

Felicity could tell he was struggling to tell her all this, he obviously wanted her to know, but he was was looking down at the floor off to right, he looked ashamed. “Oliver, hey, it's ok, I think I understand” she tried to move her head into his eyeline to bring his eyes back to hers, smiling up at him gently.

“Thats not all though, I drove over to your apartment again and saw you get home…” Felicity winced, she vaguely recalled being carried into the apartment building by Freddy. And all of a sudden she realised what Oliver must have thought he'd been watching.

“Oliver, listen”

“No, please Felicity, let me finish.' He was looking back at her now, his blue eyes were bright and shining with a determination she'd never seen directed at her in this way before. 'You see, I realise now, what I said to you before was wrong, I'm not keeping you safe, how can I possibly keep you safe if I can't keep you close?” he was standing so close to her now that his chest pressed against hers every time he breathed in and his mouth was inches from her face, making it really hard not to keep glancing at his lips, she bit her bottom lip to keep the little whimper she felt building in her throat from escaping.

She'd dreamed of this moment, but she was pretty sure this was real since in her dreams she was never hungover and Oliver generally didn't talk this much, but somehow the talking was more than she could have wished for. Her heartbeat was quickening, responding to his closeness and the now obvious motives behind his visit and current confession. Felicity wanted to put his mind at ease but at the same time she desperately wanted to know where this was going, hear what he had to say because despite everything he'd already said, she was terrified that she could have miss interpreted the whole thing and he wasn't taking this where she now dared to hope.

“I couldn't keep myself under control, I kept telling myself at first it was just about your safety, but I wasn't being honest, not really. I could see that...guy, was no threat to you, and I, I had to face that I ...I was jealous.” she let out a little gasp at the word and the intensity of his gaze made the whole room around her fall away, all she could see was his face.

“…and when I saw him pick you up, you laughing as he carried you back here, well, I don't know how I got back on the bike and drove home, I honestly don't remember.”

*********  
****************

He'd done it, he'd said what he needed to say. It had been difficult to maintain his momentum, between the shame he felt at his actions last night and the looks she was giving him whilst stood so, so close. He wanted to kiss her, to wrap his arms around her and just press his lips to hers, but he felt like she should hate him. She hadn't said anything since he'd finished talking and his nervousness was building by the second. He had disappointed her, he sighed and made to step away but her fingers tightened in his shirt and he realised she was smiling at him.

“Honestly Oliver, if I'd know this was all it would take to get you thinking straight I would have gone out for a night of excessive drinking with my cousin over a year ago!”

Oliver almost choked, he couldn't believe what she’d said.

He pulled away from her turning around in shock, his hands went first to his face, then ran up and scrubbed through his hair as he tried to process what he had just heard.

“Cousin!? So he wasn’t?…and you didn't? And when you got home..?”

He looked back at her, searching her face for the answers to the questions he was unable to articulate.

She screwed up her face at the same time as a smile threatened to break out “god no, eww” he sagged in relief at the confirmation, the tenseness that had been building up in his shoulders for the past 24hrs just drained right out, seeming to run down his arms and out through his fingertips.

“I’m getting cold” her words broke through his daze, “I’m going to get some actual clothes”

 

*********  
**************

 

She moved towards her bedroom, the chill that had set in the moment he stepped away making her acutely aware of her state of undress. As her hand reached the door of her bedroom she felt his hands grasp her shoulders once more, only this time the warmth they provided spread like wild fire, sending tendrils of heat all the way through her chest and making her skin tingle deliciously.

“Felicity”

How did he do that, how could he always say so much with just one word? She always loved how he said her name, but she was pretty sure she would forever remember this particular occasion, a shiver ran right through her to her core.

He turned her, firmly but gently until she was facing him. One hand reaching up to stroke a thumb across her cheek and tuck a lock of her wet hair back behind her ear. She met his eyes, and they were dark, but there was lightness in his features as looked at her. "Ive been such an idiot" the backs of his fingers ran down her neck to the collar bone, "do you think you can forgive me?" Goosebumps were breaking out all over her skin but not from the cold, his tone was so sincere and she tried to control her breathing to answer him. "You know I can never stay mad at you."

He finally smiled and she felt like today was maybe the best day she could have wished for. She steeled herself and raised her hands to cup his cheeks, her thumbs stroking through his stubble. "So. Jealous, huh?"

His lips quirked up at the edges and her eyes slid shut as his breath ghosted over her face at his reply. "Desperately"


	4. It's Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Rating goes up to Teen and Up at this point.**
> 
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> **I'm so mean to these two, but this chapter was so much fun to write!**
> 
>  
> 
> **If your wondering, all the chapter titles are Imagine Dragons song titles.**
> 
>  
> 
> **Comments inspire me! ******

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Felicity’s mind was pretty much running that mantra on a loop as Oliver’s lips came towards hers. She’d thought this day would never come, and now he was stood in her apartment inches separating them, his full attention focused on her as she stood there with dripping hair and just a towel wrapped around her. All thoughts of being cold from moments ago having vanished completely as this moment seemed to set her on fire from within.

Oliver’s lips brushed against hers and his head tilted slightly as she raised up on her toes, her hands slid behind his neck turning the ghost of a kiss into something definite and tangible. His lips were warm and soft, his stubble adding a different sensation to the mix as warm tingles rushed down the skin of her neck and across her chest, no doubt preceding a red flush. Her heart felt like it would burst as his arms slid around her back, one placed on the bare skin of her shoulder blade whilst the other settle on her lower back drawing her in closer as his lips parted slightly. She felt his tongue gently run across the seal of her lips, testing, teasing, she opened her lips in response and drew in a little gasp.

No. no. no.

They both stilled and the room around them came back into focus as Oliver’s phone began to chime in his pocket, she clung to the hope they could just ignore it but that hope was instantly dashed as both her phone and tablet joined in the chorus. She opened her eyes as they both drew their heads back gently to see Oliver’s, infinitely darker than usual, looking back down at her with a pained, hungry expression. She sighed in obvious frustration which brought a little huff of laughter from him and he pressed his forehead against hers for a second before reaching for his phone. 

Felicity stepped away trying the regain her balance as her world seemed to be spinning and blood was still rushing in her ears from the intensity of the sensations and emotions her poor body had just experienced. She walked back towards the sofa to recover her phone and heard Oliver groan behind her, it wasn’t the kind of groan she had recently been hoping for.

“There’s been some kind of emergency with one of the international arms of QC that of course I’m needed for, conference calls at the office I imagine.”

She glanced down at the information that had been forwarded to her too as his EA, it looked like he was pretty much right, “And it has to be you?” she was well aware how dejected she sounded in that moment but at least her tone was pretty much matched by Oliver’s expression so she really couldn’t seem to care “Can’t Isabel go? I mean what do we even have her for if she can’t handle this?!” Ok so, slightly unreasonable, but the incredibly attractive star of most her fantasies for the past two years had just finally kissed her, so deal with it!

Oliver laughed quietly but his heart wasn’t in it “I am still the CEO and the one with the surname of Queen, so I think unless I’m hospitalised i’m expected to be present for these things”

“Hospitalised huh?”

“Felicity…”

“I know, I know, just considering the possibilities! I mean even if we did get you admitted to hospital Isabel would probably just bring the work to you there, lets face it, the woman has no heart!”

He raised his eyebrows at her, knowing full well what motivations lay behind this rant and she could tell he didn’t want to push her but needed her to get on board right now.

“Fine, i’ll get dressed, good job I’ve just showered really” she looked wistfully over at the table, “shame about the bagels”

“”I’ll pack them up fro later while you get ready don’t worry and I have a suit at work I can change into once we get there.”

“How are we going to get there? Should I call Diggle?”

“No, I came in my car so i’ll drive us, no need to bother Diggle, at least one of us should get to enjoy their day off” He smiled at her sadly as she walked back past him to her room to dress.

 

**********  
**************

Oliver wasn’t really sure where he’d hoped this visit would go, so it was with a mixture of emotions that he sat waiting for her to finish getting ready. He didn’t think she could have responded better to his stilted attempt to open up to her, and considering their kiss he was pretty sure she’d understood that he wanted to take back what he’d said about not being with someone he cared about. And Freddy’s identity had definitely been a pleasant revelation. Of course right now a large part of himself was massively annoyed at the interruption, he’d really rather she wasn’t in her room alone putting clothes ON. He smiled ruefully at the thought but ultimately this was probably a good thing, it meant they could both process rather than rush blindly forward as much as he, (and he hoped she) might want too right now. He should give her some space whilst they dealt with this annoyance at the office.

She stepped out of the bedroom a short time later looking beautiful and poised, a calm point he could hold onto in the storm he felt raging inside himself. He stood and moved towards her as she gathered the last of the bits she would need to face the office, he placed a hand on her elbow and her eyes snapped up to his, “you look beautiful Ms Smoak”, she smiled at him in response and even though he saw her everyday and should be used to how beautiful she was, especially when she smiled, he had to force himself to turn and guide her to the door rather than leaning in to kiss those amazing lips again. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop at a kiss if he gave into that impulse right now.

*********

The ride up to his office felt like an exercise in restraint in it’s self, in the car he’d been busy driving, in the parking lot and then foyer there had been people around, not many as it was Sunday but still some. Stepping into the elevator and swiping his pass to ensure the car wasn’t stopped on its ascent the doors had slid shut and tension instantly began to build. He didn’t want to say anything since small talk seemed inappropriate and talking about what had happened that morning would take far longer than they currently had. He wanted to touch her but wasn’t sure if he should, he wasn’t sure what she was thinking and wasn’t sure how much control he currently possessed. 

So they just stood there. 

Oh god. 

He was going to have to look into the speed these elevators went at, he’d never noticed before but he was pretty sure they were going half the speed that they should.

He risked a glance at Felicity and saw her busily typing away on her tablet, probably preparing some notes for him, giving him something to go on so he wouldn’t look a complete fool once he had to engage his brain with what ever emergency he was expected to deal with. Maybe she couldn’t feel the tension because she was keeping busy, he let out a shakey breath and her eyes instantly flew to his, her expression suggesting he was completely and utterly wrong.

“Hey…” He stepped towards her and placed a hand on her arm just as the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open to reveal Isabel stood in his office like she owned it, talking animatedly with three of QCs heads of operations, and one company lawyer.

Felicity took a deep breath and quickly walked ahead to her desk. He stepped off behind her and ensuring his business face was in place walked straight into his office.

“Oliver, so kind of you to join us, but I didn’t know it was dress down day, was there a memo?” His jaw clenched but his voice trained by years of accompanying his mother and father to social events before the Island managed to sound pleasant. “I wasn’t expecting to be coming into the office today Ms Rochev but I assure you I have suitable clothing here and if you will give me a moment of privacy I would be happy to change.”

“So you weren’t at home when you received the message?” Isabel asked as she glanced over his shoulder to where he knew Felicity was sat at her desk. Oliver was aware of the rumours that had sprung up around his promotion of Felicity to the position she currently found herself in and Isabel had made her thoughts on the subject well known to him in the past, so despite a strong desire to shout through the building that he had kissed that beautiful blonde, he knew it wouldn’t help her reputation and she certainly wouldn’t thank him for it. “I picked Ms Smoak up as I was already out in my car, whatever are you implying Ms Rochev?”

Isabel chose to ignore his question, just as he’d hoped she would and started to walk out the office, gesturing for the others to follow her.

“Come gentlemen, the conference room should be set up by now, we’ll wait there while Mr Queen makes himself presentable.”

 

*********  
**************

 

This day had changed from one of the most amazing in her recent history to one of the worst. Oliver, Isabel and the other gentlemen they had found in Oliver’s office this afternoon had been in conference calls with offices in Japan, New Zealand and Russia for the best part of five hours, mean while she’d been on full Executive Assistant duties, this was not a good time to let Oliver down and give Isabel more ammunition in her petition to fire her. For once Felicity was happy to provide coffee regularly, it gave her another excuse to see him, though she was in the conference room regularly anyway as she was called on constantly when they needed her to liaise with other departments, often meaning she was calling people at home to get any information Oliver et al. needed and then providing it in a clear format for the purposes of the meeting.

Whenever she was in the room she was acutely aware of his eyes following her, but after their tense, silent, elevator ride and his all business attitude since reaching his office she wasn’t sure what to think. She hadn’t really noticed how much he touched her in general until this afternoon as he seemed to have studiously avoided doing so since she stepped out of the elevator. Sure he was looking at her a lot, but what was he thinking? Was he having second thoughts? That had her stomach tying it’s self in knots in an instant.

She was sat at her desk collating the financial data from the different branches RnD departments over the last six months when her phone vibrated next to her.

Oliver: Where are you?

Felicity: At my desk getting the figures SHE demanded. Why, do you need me to get something else?

Oliver: No.

Felicity: So…?

Oliver: Just thinking about you.

Felicity’s hand flew up to her mouth as she stifled a giggle, Oliver was totally text flirting with her, she had definitely had a daydream once as this very desk that started like this.

Felicity: Shouldn’t you be working?

Oliver: I have more important things to think about.

No second thoughts then, she started to relax.

Felicity: Oh?

Oliver: I could make a list if you like?

Felicity: Please do.

“I always knew you loved your technology but this looks a little excessive Felicity” Felicity squealed in surprise, looking up to find Diggle staring down at her with a sly smile on his face. She realised she’s been grinning down at the phone cradled in her hands on her lap, so engrossed that she hadn’t heard the elevator open or Diggle walking right up to her desk. 

“Digg’! God you scared the life out of me, I was just…reading a review for the latest software update for my tablet, it ahhh, it looks like a complete overhaul, which you know, lets face it, was really necessary and i’m just excited to get my hands on it!”

“Mmhmm” he nodded at her still smiling.

She cleared her throat “what are you doing here anyway? I thought you were spending the day with Lyla?”

“It’s gone 7pm, I was heading to Verdant and texted Oliver to find out when he was heading over, he said you were both stuck here, so I thought you might appreciate the company, but I can leave you with your…reviews, if you like?” He raised an eyebrow and as she tried to formulate a response, her phone vibrated, she glanced down at the message and suddenly wished she hadn’t, the blush that had been threatening her before washed over her in full force and she instantly closed the message.

“another review?”

Felicity almost choked, if only he knew.


	5. On top of the world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Rating goes up to Mature at this point.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **If your wondering, all the chapter titles are Imagine Dragons song titles.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **Comments make my day! ******

It was another hour before the meeting wrapped up. Oliver came walking towards her desk looking truly drained, but she took pleasure in the little smile that reached his eyes as he saw her. Diggle stood from his perch on the edge of her desk at Oliver’s approach.

“Whoa, you look like you just went twenty rounds with Gold again!”

“You’ve met Isabel right?”

Diggle didn’t even attempt to hide his chuckle as they all walked towards the elevator.

Oliver placed his hand on Felicity’s lower back as they walked and it didn’t move until they exited the Foyer.

“I’ll drive myself over Digg’, i’ve got the car with me, just take Felicity with you and i’ll meet you both there” Diggle nodded and headed over to the where a valet had the car waiting for him.

Felicity turned towards him as he brought his eyes down to her, unconsciously she brought her hand up to one of his lapels, straightening it in a nervous gesture she was rarely aware of, “I’ll see you soon then” she smiled up at him, wishing they could catch just five minutes alone, not that she would ever begrudge Diggle, but this day was just running away with her patience.

He stared back down at her and time seemed to still as one of their patent silent conversations played out, albeit with more promise behind the heat this time.

“ahem”

Diggle’s mock throat clearing had her breaking away and rushing towards the car in a split second, head down as the blush from earlier threatened to make a comeback.

She tried her best to avoid the looks Diggle kept shooting her as he drove them up to start their night jobs.

 

****************  
*******************

 

Oliver’s patrol had gone smoother this time, he was wound tight but it was a different kind of wound tight. His thoughts still full of Felicity but the thoughts only brought pleasant feelings tonight, a far cry from the darkness of the previous night. There had still been trouble to deal with, bad people to stop from doing bad things, but with Felicity in his ear and Diggle driving the streets shadowing him, he had everything he needed to deal with every situation.  
Since he’d made his decision about moving forward with Felicity and starting to break through the walls he placed around his heart when it came to her he had felt lighter, it wasn’t that he no longer worried about her being in danger, he knew that would always be something that terrified him, but she was in danger from the moment she’d decided to join them and the closer he could keep her, the safer he could try to keep her.

After the patrol he and Diggle had trained as she worked on the programme she’d been telling him about last night. Whilst she mostly seemed engrossed in her work, he could feel her eyes on him from time to time and the feeling was good. He caught her staring once as he’d just flipped Diggle and was holding him in a strangle hold, she pushed her glasses up as he caught her eyes and rather than instantly looking away in embarrassment she held his gaze for a beat and he felt his stomach flip at the heat he found there. Diggle must have felt his shift in concentration however and the next thing he knew his friends massive arms were pinning him on his back.

“You’re slipping Oliver” Diggle smirked down at him triumphantly.

“Yeah, that conference obviously wore me out, I think we can call it quits for tonight”

“Ok, i’m glad to see your learning to accept when you’re beaten” Diggle retorted as he released him.

Normally that alone would have sent Oliver right back into attack mode but not tonight. “Sure Digg’ thats it, you’ve really helped me grow as a person, I’m gonna shower”

 

**********

 

Emerging from the shower refreshed and steaming, he found Diggle packing his sports bag, “No shower Digg? Poor Lyla!”

“Haha, no I need to wash these clothes anyway so i’m just gonna shower when I get back to mine, Lyla has a 5am flight, you want a ride home Felicity?”

Oliver turned to look over at her, an eyebrow raised waiting to see what she said.

She didn’t turn round but he found himself quietly releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding as she declined the offer. “Thanks Digg’ but i’m not done here and Oliver can drive me, right Oliver?”

“Right, we’ll manage, thanks Digg’”

“If you’re sure Felicity. Hey, let me know how you get on with that new operating system once you get your hands on it, yeah?” With that he smiled at Oliver’s confusion and walked out of the lair.

Oliver walked over to stand next to Felicity and noticed her hands had frozen in position over her keyboard and her face was practically scarlet. “Care to explain?” he asked and she let out a little squeak as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Diggle is apparently a very perceptive guy and my rambles are more leading than i’d thought” she glanced up at him. She was truly adorable when flustered and embarrassed, his thumb drifted down and started stroking her collarbone in gentle sweeps back and forth, he noticed a slight tremor run down her spine at his touch and his heartbeat sped up instantly. He reached across her keyboard and took her other hand in his pulling her from the chair and turning her so her back was now to the desk. She was looking down at his chest, still bare from his shower, he took her chin in his thumb and forefinger to tilt her face up to his. Catching sight of her eyes took his breath away, her pupils were now blown dark with desire and she was biting her bottom lip in a manner that had a rumble of a growl starting deep down in his chest.

He lifted his thumb from her chin to gently pull her bottom lip from between her teeth and lowered his head desperate to taste lips he’d only had moments to enjoy that morning. 

“Oliver wait…” he felt her whisper against his lips, he did his best to stifle a groan at the interruption. Looking back up at her eyes he saw the desire was suddenly tempered by something else, fear? Uncertainty?

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly, “I just, are you, I mean… is this…?” She looked down blushing clearly struggling to articulate what was holding her back, he cupped her face and tried to give her his most encouraging look, “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t want to do this if it’s just the result of a bit of jealousy, I need to know it’s more than that, that this is…real.”

He searched her eyes for a moment to make sure that was all that had her worried, satisfied that it was he knew he could ease those nerves easily and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief, “Felicity, when I told you back at your apartment that I had realised I was wrong all those months ago, after Russia, I meant I was really wrong, I’ve made a decision and that decision is you. I can’t keep myself away from you any longer and if you were to turn round and tell me you won’t have me then I honestly think you’d break my heart. The is it for me, i’m all in.” 

That was all it took, before he’d even finished his sentence she was pressing her lips to his, bolder this time, there was nothing tentative or languid about this kiss, her hands were in his hair and over his shoulders pulling him in, he tongue slipped past her lips and he allowed himself a little groan but this was definitely more of a satisfied groan, her mouth was soft and warm and eager, and kissing her was more amazing than he’d even imagined, there was a passion to her that he would never have guessed at. He wrapped his arms around her waist firmly and lifted, sitting her on the edge of the desk so she was slightly higher and he could step between her legs getting just that bit closer. Their breaths were coming is short gasps now and he could feel her chest pressing against his, he broke the kiss to catch his breath and looked down at her, her lips were swollen and her eyes looked hungry and he imagined he probably looked pretty similar, suddenly he realised he was grinning at her, she grinned back and nipped at his chin in an attempt to bring his mouth back to hers. Still smiling he used one hand to tilt her head slightly to the side so he could start to lay kisses over her jaw and back to her ear, gently nipping at her ear lobe in retaliation he let his tongue trail up the edge to the piercing at the top, laying a gently kiss on it at her sharp intake of breath before moving his lips back down the way they’d come reveling in the soft skin at her neck.

 

************  
***************

 

Felicity was pretty sure she was on fire, since she’d initiated that kiss after he’d basically said the most beautiful things she could ever imagine him saying he’d swept her away in a blaze of emotion and touch. Their kisses had been hot and desperate, taking what they’d both wanted for so long now, when he’d stopped and just looked down at her breathing heavily and grinning like a fool she thought she’d never seen anything so simultaneously cute and sexy. As he’d kissed her ear she wasn’t sure she could control herself much longer, she gasped and felt her hips press forward seeking out more contact as his lips moved down her neck, over collarbone and inching closer to the top of her breasts. Oliver’s hands slipped from her waist and up to her breasts, gently squeezing through her blouse and bra, she groaned at the wave of electricity it sent running through her, coming to settle in the quickly building coil of heat deep in her centre. He continual to lave kisses across the tops other chest as his hands went to work at the buttons, she released her hands from his hair and placed them behind her so she could lean back on the desk to give him better access. It obviously also gave him a better view too as his eyes came up and raked over her in approval before his mouth returned to its administrations. Having finished with her buttons Felicity felt Oliver start to trail his hot kisses down between her breasts and then down her abdomen pausing to nuzzle as he reached her belly button before continuing on his journey south. Reaching the line of her skirt he kissed along it, first to her left hip and then her right, coming back to the middle he gripped the material in he teeth and gave it a little tug looking up at her as he did. She watched him in breathless anticipation of what he would do next, her skin was hot in flushes all over and burning in the places he’d laid kisses, she couldn’t form words right now if she wanted to.

Oliver’s hands slid up her legs, pushing up her skirt as he went, she shivered at the feel of his rough hands on her soft skin, it felt amazing and the higher the hands slipped the faster her breathing got. Reaching her panties his hands stilled for a moment, locking his eyes with hers again his thumbs stroked over the smooth fabric, stroking everywhere but where she most wanted them most. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it any longer his thumbs hooked into the top of the thin fabric and pulled them down a few inches, his eyes finally broke away from hers and head moved down, she felt that first kiss right on the bundle of nerves that had been wound so tight like a bolt of lightening, it rocked through her and her head fell back with a cry, unable to hold her own weight any longer she collapsed on the desk.

Firmly but slowly his tongue moved down, the heat and sensation was more than she could cope with, she gasped and arched her hips with every move his mouth made, the coil of heat that had been building inside her had started to clench and she felt like sparks were spreading through her from Oliver’s mouth threatening to tip her over the edge at any moment. When one hand slid from her thigh and pushed past her lowered panties and she felt his fingers seeking to join his mouth her hands moved to grasp his hair. Fingers pushed forward and her need increased as first one then two slid slowly into her centre, pausing for a moment before starting to move in and out in a steady rhythm to match his mouth, her hips now moved against his hand, desperate as she felt her release so close. His mouth came back over the bundle of nerves that had almost undone her once, he sucked gently and pressed with his tongue at the same time and she was suddenly tumbling, her orgasm rocked through her stronger than anything she’d ever felt before, an explosion of sensation so intense washing over and through her in wave after wave, she had no idea how long it took her to bring the room back in to focus.

Oliver was kissing back up her stomach and had reached her neck before she could even open her eyes. Leaning over her and smiling down at her, he kissed her gently on the lips and gaining control over her limbs once more she wrapped her arms round his neck and legs round his waist, straightening he picked he up easily stroking the bare skin of her back as he held her and they looked at each other.

“You’re remarkable Ms Smoak” He grinned at her.

“Take me home Mr Queen” she replied with a smile and a kiss. 

He turned to carry her to the car confident no one would be around at this time of night to see their state of dishevelment. Neither one of them said it, but at that moment both secretly felt that they were the luckiest person alive.


End file.
